


Paths Paved With Silver

by draconicsockpuppet



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Horrible Goose Derails Author's Least Favorite Subplot, M/M, Pwning Sith Lords Completely by Accident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:49:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28184937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/draconicsockpuppet/pseuds/draconicsockpuppet
Summary: "The Gannesk people are renowned for their matchmaking capabilities," Supreme Chancellor Palpatine confided in Anakin as they walked along the balustrade outside the Chancellor's apartments. "If the Gannesk ritual blesses you and Senator Amidala with a bond on your mission to Gans, even the Jedi cannot interfere."Well. That wasn't how it had gone, atall.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker/Mace Windu
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28
Collections: Writing Rainbow Silver





	Paths Paved With Silver

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ExtraPenguin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraPenguin/gifts).



"The Gannesk people are renowned for their matchmaking capabilities," Supreme Chancellor Palpatine confided in Anakin as they walked along the balustrade outside the Chancellor's apartments. "If the Gannesk ritual blesses you and Senator Amidala with a bond on your mission to Gans, even the Jedi cannot interfere."

Well. That wasn't how it had gone, at _all_.

"What do you mean, the Gannesk only bond Force-sensitive people to each other?"

Master Windu pinched the bridge of his nose. "Didn't you read the briefing, Knight Skywalker?"

It was long and boring, so of course Anakin hadn't read it. "Of course I did!"

"The Gannesk create Force bonds. Without a sufficiently strong connection to the Force, a person can't be bonded."

Padmé had long since left with Chancellor Palpatine and the others. Anakin was stuck here with a disapproving Jedi master, the very Jedi who had said he was too old to be trained, who had said he was incapable of setting aside his emotional attachments.

The very Jedi he was about to be married to against his will.

"Can't you get us out of this wedding?" Anakin pleaded. "You're the head of the Order!"

"The result of the ritual is indisputable," Master Windu said firmly. "We can't afford to do without the Gannest contribution to the war effort." He grimaced. "I recognize that the result is… not what either of us wanted, but we are Jedi. We will persevere."

Outside the door came a loud **_HONK_**.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Master Windu said under his breath.

* * *

The ceremony wasn't too bad, although Chancellor Palpatine had already made his apologies to the Gannesk and left, travelling on to the next obligation in his busy schedule. Anakin was sad to see him go.

Standing inside a circle of watchful Gannesk elders, Anakin joined hands with Master Windu, and the Gannesk leader flapped her wings and did… something. A rope of light curled around and between Anakin and Master Windu, and as it shrank in on them, surrounding them in a sphere of brightness, a single dark strand leading out of Anakin's chest became apparent.

"You're already bonded?" Master Windu asked, his brows furrowed.

Hiding his panic, Anakin glanced over at Padmé, but the strand didn't lead to her. Instead it led up into the stars.

 ** _HONK, HONK,_** said the Gannesk leader.

Beside her, C-3P0 said, "Ahem. It appears Knight Skywalker was previously bonded to an individual not present here today. The Magnificent Overgoose of the Gannesk would like to ask, did you consent to the previous bond? Or would you prefer to have it broken?"

Anakin looked to Padmé; the panic was getting really overwhelming. Padmé shrugged. Anakin looked to Master Windu.

"The choice is yours," Master Windu said softly. "But first—look at the existing bond. Tell me what you see."

Anakin looked, and blinked, and looked again.

A thin black chain, swathed in shadows, leading up into space. Anakin had worn too many chains in his life already.

"Break it."

The Gannesk leader honked in approval, and around them, the circle of Gannesk elders started their traditional flappydance.

"Master Windu—"

Master Windu actually smiled. "Please, call me Mace."

* * *

_Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has suffered a stroke and is being held in a medically induced coma,_ came the tinny voice of a Holonet newscaster as the diplomatic party blasted off from Gans. _In his absence, Vice Chancellor Mas Amedda is serving as Chancellor Pro Tem…_

"We can't keep doing this, Ani."

"Sure we can!" Anakin gestured at the ceiling. "This Gannesk thing is a sham marriage." He took her hands in his. "You're the only one I want to spend my life with."

"It's more official than our marriage." Padmé sighed. "We were young. We made bad decisions." She forced out a smile. "You have a long life ahead of you. I'm sure you will become a fine Jedi Master with the assistance of Master Windu."

"What?" Anakin couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Is this… are you breaking up with me?" His heart hurt. Something in him reached out to Padmé, just as it had on Geonosis, with his need, his desperate need for someone to love him like his mother had…

"I am." Padmé smiled again, suddenly bright, and as Anakin stared at her in disbelief, he realized that he'd never seen her so cheerful since the victory on Naboo, all those years ago. "I am divorcing you, as unofficially as we married. I hope you and your new husband will be very happy together." And she turned and left.

Anakin sank down on his bunk. This was the worst mission _ever_.

* * *

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine didn't recover.

Padmé didn't come back.

When Anakin and Mace returned to Coruscant and gave their reports to the Council, Master Yoda laughed and laughed, before saying, "Sure, I am, that Master Windu will be a good influence."

At Anakin's side, Mace sighed and said under his breath, "I'm not getting paid enough for this."

But when Anakin started having nightmares about his mother a few weeks later, Mace noticed his cries in his sleep, and Anakin's mother came to the Temple on the next transport from Tattooine.

It wasn't the marriage he'd wanted, but—well. Mace did have very nice arms. And abs. And a great butt. And Vaapad was surprisingly sexy (and a fantastic outlet for Anakin's emotions, it turned out).

* * *

The marriage of Knight Skywalker and Master Windu was consummated, with gusto, within three months of the mission to Gans. The Clone Wars ended within six with Count Dooku's surrender to Supreme Chancellor Organa.

They did have the rest of their lives ahead of them.


End file.
